Bunch building mechanism



April 18, 1961 H. N. THIBAULT ETAL. 2,979,881

BUNCH BUILDING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l IFiled July l5, 1959 INVENTOR. Hann/:0MM 7/'wsauLT WnLDo H BaN/ 5 A TTORNEY April 18, 1961 H. N.TH1BAU1.T ET A1. 2,979,881

BUNCH BUILDING MECHANISM Filed July l5, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. HnRRlsoN lV. TH/BnuLr WnLDo H. BANKS A TTORNEY April 18 1961 H. N. THIBAULT ETAL V2,979,881

BUNCH BUILDING MECHANISM Filed July 13, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN I 0R.

J HnRR/salv MTH/snuff WnLDo H. HnNKs United States* A Patent BUNCH BUILDING MEcHANrsM Harrison N. Thibault and Waldo H. Banks, Hopedale, Mass., assignors to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Filed July 13, 1959,'Se1'. No. 826,711

9 Claims. (Cl. 57--54) This invention relates to yarn spinning frames, and,

' in particular, to a device for applying a tip bunch to the A, 2,919,881 Patented Apr. 18g, 1961 Yexisting spinning frames with no disturbance of the filling to bobbin ends as a tip bunch whereby regardless t of the size or count of filling being spun at anygiven time, the same mass of material may be applied to form the bunch.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a relatively simple device which acts to release control of the ring rail from the builder mechanism after completion of spinning of the main body of filling in the bobbins thereby permitting the ring rail to rise very suddenly to a predetermined point adjacent the tips of the bobbins well beyond the normal upper limit of travel of the ring rail whereupon the tip bunches are applied and then the ring rail is lowered to its dofiing position by the usual foot pedal means, automatically resetting the tip bunch lbuilding device.

It is a further object to provide a device having relatively few parts'which vmay readily be applied in the limited space available on conventional spinningframes and without any substantial modification thereof.

Automatic bobbin batteries are now in common use yin the weaving industry and are automatically fed from vmagazines which may contain ninety or more bobbins contained in adjacentvertical tiers or rows. Each row Amay contain about ten bobbins which merely rest on top of each other and which are periodically and sequentially fed to the bobbin battery. The bobbins are preferably provided with a tip bunch which is comprised of a number of turns of the filling thread adjacent the bobbin end to facilitate the removal of the filling endand holding vthereof?l by mechanical or other means Vuntilthe bobbin has been transferred into the shuttle and picked across -the shed. In due time .the filling end iscut at the fabric selvage and the end disposed of in known manner.

In United States Patent No. 2,558,198 a bunch building mechanism is disclosed which is incorporated as a part of the builder `motion of the frame and wherein separate cam means are provided to effect raising of the ring rail in a positive manner at the properY time to permit a tip bunch to be applied to the bobbin. While such a device kis satisfactoryin many respects, it does not permit without difficulty a change in the number of turns which comprise thetip bunch, which is a desirable feature when changing to the spinning of yarns of varying counts, thereby to maintain a fairly constant mass to be taken by the mechanical or other extractor at the time of transfer of the bobbin into a shuttle.

Further, the application of a bunch building mechanism according to that patent to the main builder motion necessitates a substantial modification of the builder motion and the addition of expensive cams and other parts.

According to the mstantfinvention, a tip bunch may ,I

builder motion already on the frame, and with the addition of relatively few and inexpensive parts. This is effected by permitting the ring rail to be lifted suddenly to a predetermined point adjacent the tips of the bobbins and -isachieved by releasing control of the lifting arm from the usual chain and builder motion which position the rail.

In the conventional control system for positioning the -ring rail movement of the latter is achieved through the u action of a filling cam forming apart of the builder motion andwhlch exerts a force in a vertical direction downwardly upon a cam follower connected toa chain means. fl'he other end of the chain is fixed to an arcuate member which is pivoted in a fixed relationship with respect to a lifting arm on which the ring rail is supported, and counterbalancing weights are provided which overcome the weight of the rail, the weights, lifting arm and arc member all being pivoted on a common stud. As the filling cam exerts a force in the downward direction upon the follower the chain through the arc member overcomes the counterbalancing weights to move the oppositely extending lifting karmdownwardly thereby permitting the ring rail to be lowered@V As the filling cam tends to relieve its pressure Von the follower the weights drop to take up the yslack to move the lifting arm upwardly and to raise the ring rail.

The present invention provides an additional device for divorcing control of the weights and their associated parts from the builder motion. This permits the counterbalancing weights immediately to raise the ring rail to a position preset by a'stop member. Any number of ways may be Vdevsed'for effecting inaction of the chain land in this application a cam member has been provided which normally maintains the arc member taut Ywith respect to the chain in a locked position. A` manually operated lever-is provided which is connected to said cam to release it thereby permitting the arcuate'member to Vbe,freelypivotableabout a second axis whereupon the weights are free to drop and to raise the lifting arm and ring rail. Additional means has been provided to cause automatic resetting of the cam as the foot pedal is depressed to lower the ring rail.

Further objects and novel features will be apparent from the description to follow.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the invention as applied to a spinning frame.

f Fig. 2 is an enlargement ofthe lower portion of the hand lever and its associated mechanism of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side velevational view looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 ,is an enlargement of the chain arc and its interrelated parts as shown in the lower right side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fg. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. l a portion of the left hand side of a spinning frame is shown which in this particular illustration is the well known Whitin Model F-Z. The frame includes a vertical frame member 11 having a well known builder motionY generally denoted by the arrow 12 supported therefrom. The frame normally includes horizontally extending supporting members 13 and 14 in a fixed position forward of the frame and a vertically reciprocable ring rail 15. A depending bracket 16 is mounted on the member 13 and has a stud 17 rotatably mounted at its lower end. The stud has fixed thereon a lifting arm 18 extending in one direction, a counterbalancing weight 19 extending in an opposite direction, and a lever arm 20 extendingupwardly in a. generally vertical direction intermediate the lifting arm and weight. A vertical support member 2l is aixed to the ring rail at its upper end and rests upon a roller member 22 xed on the lifting arm. A portion ofthe lifting arm extends outwardly to form a foot pedal 23. A locking Yarm 24 having a forwardly extending protrusion 25 is pivotable laterally from the lifting arm and is adapted to engage the underside of the supporting member i3 to hold the lifting arm in a doifing position after the foot pedal has been fully depressed at the completion of a spinning cycle. Spindles 26 are mounted for rotation on the frame and are adapted to have bobbins 27 inserted over them. The apparatus thus far described is conventional and forms no direct part of the present invention.

As seen more clearly in Figs.t4 and 6 bracket 28 is Xed to the arm by fastening means 29. Additional holes 30 are providedin the bracket topermit adjustment thereof with respect to the arm. An arcuate memstop 33 during the winding of filling on the main body of the bobbins. An arm 40 is fixed to the stud 37 at its opposite end and has a connecting link 41 pivoted to the outer end thereof by means of a short stud 42 which extends forward of the lever. The stud acts to reset the cam 39 by engagement with a reset plate 42 which is fixed on the supporting member 13 in a manner to be described. A liexible connecting means 43 which may comprisea steel cable or a chain has one end thereof connected to an extension 44 on the outer surface of the quadrant and has its other end connected to a filling cam actuated member on the builder motion 12 in a known manner. Y

The link 41 is provided with an adjustable nut 45 for varying the length thereof and is pivotally connected at its left hand side to a further lever 46, Figs. 2 and 3, which is fixed to one end of a shaft 47 supported in a bearing in a hand lever bracket 48 which ,isV attached to the underside of the member 13. A hand lever 49 is freely mounted on the stud 47 and has a ange portion provided with a series of notches 50. A pawl lock S1 having a groove 52 in the upper edge thereof is formed on a hub 53 xed to the forward end of the stud 47 by means of a pin 54. A torsion spring 55 has one end thereof received in a recess 56 in the bracket 4S and the .other end in one of the notches 50 and thereby tends to urge the hand lever in a clockwise direction. The handle has a pawl 57 pivoted adjacent its lower end at 58 and which is adapted to engage the notch 52. The pawl is biased in a counter-clockwise direction so as to maintain the pawl disengaged from the pawl lock. A rod 59 connects the lower end of the pawl with 'an L shaped slotted handle 60 pivoted at 61 near the top of the hand lever.

The operation of the device will now be described. Yarn is spun and wound on the bobbins in the usual manner until the ring rail reaches the position shown in Fig. l on its last reciprocation upwardly of the bobbins. All of the parts will then occupy the solid line positions shown in Fig. 1. At this instant the operator grasps the upper portion of the hand lever and presses the handle toward the lever to engage the pawl in its lock as shown in Fig. 2. He then moves the hand lever in a counterclockwise direction to describe an arc of about degrees. This immediately acts on the arm` 40 through arm 46 and link 41 and thus the cam 39 in the same direction to release the quardrant 31 and to permit it to rotate until the stop means 34 strikes the stop member 35. This causes the tiexible connecting member to be relaxed a suthcient amount so that it is no longer under control by the builder motion 12. vAt the same time as the chain is released. the weight 19 is free to drop and does so until the lifting arm strikes an adjustable stop S at the same time raising the ring rail to a predetermined position (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) adjacent the ends of the bobbins to apply a tipbunch T thereupon. The ring rail does not reciprocate at this time since the ilexible connector 43 has been released an amount sufficient to prevent its being effected by the filling cam. When the desired number of turns has been applied to the bobbins, the operator then depresses the foot pedal to lower the ring rail. As he does so, the arm 20 moves counterclockwise as does the stud 37. The extending stud 42 strikes the stationary reset plate 42 to force the cam 39 into its locking position shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 4. The handle 49 is returned to its original position as soon as it is released due to the action of the torsion spring. A stop may be provided to limitwthe ,return motion of the handle.

V 1"ail, spindles and means for rotating said spindles, a

second rail and means carried thereby for imparting twist to yarn and for traversing it `to form a package on a bobbin carried and rotated by each of saidspindles, which includes a builder motion and connections from said motion to one of said rails, andmeans independent of said builder motion for raising said second rail after a normal package has been formedto movey that rail to a position in which it will direct the yarninto a tip bunch beyond vthe limits of the package and adjacent the end of the bobbin.

2. In a spinning frame, a Iring rail adapted to be reciprocated vertically to control the location of a filling thread package kto be spun on bobbins over ,the major portion thereof, meanstfor causing said ring railv to be moved suddenly to an elevated position to apply a tip bunch to said bobbins in spaced relation to said package which comprises exible connecting means. a builder motion for directing movement of said exible means in one direction, one end of said exible means being connected to said builder motion, a pivoted arc lever member, the other end of said exible means being connected to said .lever member,4 and means for releasing control of said exiblemeans from said builder motion, and for permitting said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said exible means.

3. In a spinning frame, a ring rail. vertical members for supporting said ring rail, a pivoted lever means having a substantially horizontally extending `arm for supporting one of said vertical members and a second substantially vertically extending arm including an arc member thereon, a flexible connecting means Vfor controlling the positioning of said lever means thereby to locate said ring rail in a vertical direction. and means for releasing control of said lever means from saidconnecting means and for permitting said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of saidv connecting means.

4. In a spinning frame, a ring rail, a plurality of vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, bobbins inserted over said spindles, and means adapted to reciprocate said ring rail lengthwise of said bobbins which includes a flexible connecting means, a pivoted arc member connected to onel endof said connecting means, a

pivoted lever member adapted to be positioned as determined by said arc member, means one end of which is connected to said ring rail and the other end of which is adapted to rest upon said lever member, and manually operated means effective to release control of said arc member from said flexible connecting means and to permit said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said connecting means.

5. In a spinning frame, a ring rail, a plurality of vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, bobbins inserted over said spindles, and means adapted to reciprocate said ring rail lengthwise of said bobbins which includes a flexible connecting means, a pivoted arc member connected to one end of said connecting means, a pivoted lever member adapted to be positioned as determined by said arc member, means one end of which is connected to said ring rail and the other end of which is adapted to rest upon said lever member, cam means for maintaining said arc member taut with respect to said connecting means, and means for releasing said arc member from said cam means' and for permitting said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said connecting means.

6. In a spinning frame, a ring rail, a plurality of vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, bobbins inserted over said spindles, and means adapted to reciprocate said ring rail lengthwise of said bobbins which includes a flexible connecting means, a pivoted arc member connected to one end of said connecting means', a pivoted lever member adapted to be positioned as determined by said arc member, means one end of which is connected to said ring rail and the other end of which is adapted to rest upon said lever member, a pivoted cam member movable from a locking position for maintaining said arc member taut with respect to said connecting means, a connecting rod, and manually operated means for shifting said connecting rod to release said cam member, thereby to render said ilexible connecting means ineffective upon said ring rail and to permit said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said connecting means.

7. In a spinning frame, a ring rail, a plurality 0f vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, bobbins inserted over said spindles, and means adapted to reciprocate said ring rail lengthwise of said bobbins which includes a exible connecting means, a pivoted arc member connected to one end of said connecting means, a

pivoted lever member adapted to be positioned as determined by said arc member, means one end of which is connected to said ring rail and the other end of which is adapted to rest upon said lever member, a pivoted cam member movable from a locking position for maintaining said arc member taut with respect to said connecting means, a connecting rod, manually operated means for selectively shifting said connecting rod to release said cam member and to permit said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said connecting means, and means for automatically resetting said cam member to said locking position.

8. In a spinning frame, a vertically movable ring rail, a plurality of vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, and means for controlling movement of said ring rail which comprises a builder motion, an arc member and a lifting arm pivotable in fixed relationship with respect to each other, means for supporting said ring rail from said lifting arm, a flexible member having one end thereof connected to said builder motion and the other end thereof to said arc member to maintain a predetermined relationship betweensaid other end and said lifting arm, and means for changing said predetermined relationship to permit said ring rail to rise suddenly beyond the controlling limit of said exible member.

9. In a spinning frame, a vertically movable ring rail, a plurality of vertical spindles mounted for rotation on said frame, and means for controlling movement of said ring rail which comprises a builder motion, an arc member and a lifting arm pivotable in fixed relationship with respect to each other, means for supporting said ring rail from said lifting arm, a ilexible member having one end thereof connected tosaid builder motion and the other end thereof to said arc member to maintain a predetermined relationship between said other end and said lifting arm, whereby said builder motion and llexible member effect the vertical positioning of said ringrail, and means for releasng control of said ring rail entirely from said builder motion and exible member and for permitting said ring rail to move upwardly beyond the controlling limit of said connecting means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,503,099 Culbreath Apr. 4, 1950 2,798,356 Christiansson July 9, 1957 2,865,162 Hope Dec. 23, 1958 

